Innocence
by Shadow of an Echo
Summary: Sealand wants to be a country so badly, he yearns for it, dreams of it, works towards it, but does he truly know what it means to be one? It's time for the World Conference, and this year it's in America, just in time for the famous Boston Marathon…


**Innocence**

**Summary: **Sealand wants to be a country so badly, he yearns for it, dreams of it, works towards it, but does he truly know what it means to be one? It's time for the World Conference, and this year it's in America, just in time for the famous Boston Marathon…

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia, and moreover, I wish this story was not one I was inspired to write. History is full of times where if the countries could feel, like they do in Hetalia, I could only imagine them huddled in pain asking themselves why. The events that happened in Boston was one of those times.

**Rating and Warnings: Teen, **this story holds a slightly lower rating then my normal stuff because, despite the subject matter, I am not writing this any harsher or more graphic than what has been shown on the American news casts. However, this is a story revolving around a bombing that happened at the Boston Marathon, I wont mention the real people involved by name, or get too explicitly detailed about their injuries, but please do not read this story if you do not want to be exposed to any of the information circling about this situation for any reason. (Author POV-I'm American)

**Author's Notes: **This is just a one-shot I was inspired to write after following the news coverage of the tragedy in Boston. Now it has been said that the Hetalia personifications can feel it when something goes wrong in their countries, so to me, that meant Alfred would have felt the bombing. If that happened during a World Conference the others may have shown concern, since there is no country on this planet that has not gone through trauma.

Sealand would be confused why nations who normally argue would help America, and that is the premise of the story. Sealand getting his eyes opened to the dark side of being a country.

**Innocence**

Utter chaos. That was the only way a person could correctly describe the meeting hall the countries were in. A long table shaped like a horseshoe gave everyone room to sit and supposedly work on the world's issues, unfortunately just like every other meeting it had descended into pandemonium. The main focus was America, France, and Britain as usual, though if anyone had bothered to look they might have seen a phantomlike blonde nation trying to get a word in edgewise with his family, but they didn't.

All in all it was a pretty typical meeting that Sealand snuck into, well he thought he was sneaking in, his Nordic guardians Sweden and Finland had spotted the child but chose to keep quiet. As long as the boy didn't cause trouble they didn't see the harm in him being in these meetings, it wasn't like the actual nations were getting anywhere when he was away, so they may as well avoid the headache of arguing with him.

Who knows, he wanted to be a true nation so badly, maybe someday he would find a territory, such as an unclaimed island, and become one. After all it wasn't like some of the landlocked countries were very large, case in point Lichtenstein, and no one argued her status although Switzerland might have had something to do with that.

The argument between America, France, and Britain escalated further from there, loud enough to even wake Greece up, which was a feat in of itself. The Aegean country was busy plotting interesting ways of killing them off while making it look like accidents until Japan dropped a kitten in his lap, calming him right down.

The kitten calming Greece wasn't unusual, Greece plotting death was only slightly odd; he did plot lots of things in that brain of his even if he kept those thoughts to himself, but what made the surrounding countries the most curious was just where Japan had been keeping the kitten and how he had known Greece would need calming.

Finland heard a familiar giggle from near his leg, Sealand was hiding under the table, crouching next to the more feminine and less intimidating of his guardians. "Having fun?" He asked the lad in soft Finnish, a language he was slowly teaching him.

"Cats calm him down?" He did his best to reply in the same language, Finland wasn't like Britain, this was a country who actually encouraged his dreams. Though really when you are being raised by the country who plays Santa Claus, is it a surprise he would want to make Sealand's dreams come true?

With that question Finland had to hide his own laugh, catching Sweden's attention, "That's Greece for you. He gets angry quickly, doesn't usually show it as much as the younger ones, but at least he's easy enough to calm down."

"Is it hard to calm the others?" Sealand asked curiously.

Sweden simply pointed at the argument continuing at the other end of the table.

One minute Sealand was there next to Finland and Sweden, the next he was crawling under the table towards the quarrelling nations.

Finland slowly blinked at what just happened before turning towards Sweden, "And they yell at me for the Molotov cocktail, when World War III starts, I blame you."

"Let the kid have some fun, this meeting was getting boring anyway," Denmark butted in from Finland's other side, having followed the conversation since there was nothing else to do.

By now Sealand had worked his way up to Canada, the forgotten member of the quartet thought about getting the attention of the rowdier members of his family, but then he decided against it. After all, it had been awhile since there had been an uprising in the arguments, and it wasn't like anyone other than America listened to him much and he was too busy getting Britain in a chokehold right now.

Sealand lowered himself down slowly, preparing to spring, his target? Britain of course. The former Empire would always be Sealand's target of choice, and America conveniently had him held in place with Britain's back to his hiding spot.

The way they were tussling meant Sealand had full view of America's face when it happened, the super-powered nation that often acted like a bit of a dork suddenly froze; his body becoming ridged. It went from him restraining Britain, to the British nation catching him when his muscles convulsed and he spat out blood. A quick yell had France and Canada leaping closer to help him lower America to the floor of the meeting room, where his muscles continued to jerk and twitch, red stained the corners of his mouth, and somewhere in the frenzy his glasses had been knocked askew.

Sealand stared on in shock as it seemed to take years for everything but the twitching to stop, and Britain's voice sounded miles away as he shouted for someone to check the news immediately, something had just gone horribly wrong in America.

Another decade passed before, "Bombing in Boston, at the marathon." The grave words came from Estonia, streaming the information on his laptop.

Sealand felt a hand drop onto his shoulder, "You need to come back with us now, Sweden's orders." It was Iceland, the once smallest Nordic, but that spot was taken by Sealand. He'd been recruited to fetch the kid since he would be the least noticed.

"I want to see," Sealand was too shocked to move.

Iceland shook his head, "Trust me, you don't want to see this up close. Come back with us, you will still be able to see. Finland won't want you to leave after this until everything has calmed down." He wasn't there to argue with the kid, he was just supposed to retrieve.

Sealand was about to fight some more when there was a moan of pain from America, and he froze again as of all people, Britain carefully arranged his former colony so his head was resting in his lap. France had a hand on his forehead, the other grasping his left hand. Canada was holding his brother's right hand, though he was quickly shuffled to the side when Greece and China took his spot to check over America; their medical knowledge was the highest among the gathered countries.

Iceland simply reached out and pulled Sealand away by the collar of his shirt, knowing he was momentarily too shocked to struggle.

His shock lasted until he was pulled into Finland's lap. "What just happened?" He couldn't stop himself from asking.

"You heard Estonia, America's people were just attacked." Finland's voice was laced with sorrow, and Sweden subtly shifted closer to the smaller male.

Sealand felt a shiver go up his spine, and he snuggled into Finland, "It looks really bad."

"It was at one of his public events, so even the people who were not directly injured saw and were affected. We don't just feel the pain of the injured, but the horror and rage of the spectators. The blood you saw from him, and maybe the first couple spasms was the attack, but after that, it wasn't the bombs, it was his nation reacting to them." Finland was clutching him tightly, rubbing his back as he spoke, but he wasn't going to lie to him. What was the point? If he was curious enough he would just ask someone else, someone who may not be as comforting while he was dealing with the new information.

A shaky voice stuttered out, "What if it had been somewhere else, like the Olympics? A place more people watched?"

"The more citizens that watch a tragedy, the worse it is, also the harsher the event the more traumatic it is on our bodies. Look at Japan right now." He wasn't sure if it was wise to let Sealand see this now, but if he really wanted to be a country, well, this was a part of it.

Japan was sitting with his eyes glued to America, his hands were lying on the table, balled so tightly into fists his knuckles were white. His face was blank, but his eyes, normally just next to expressionless were filled with old pain. Korea was on his left, unusually serious as he spoke to him, Vietnam had taken Greece's place on his right; she was quiet letting Korea speak, but she was nearly as tense as Japan. Hong Kong had trailed China over to Britain and America, the other half of his heritage calling him to help if he could, though he ended up sitting back and worrying with Canada he was there if needed.

Finland's voice came to Sealand again, "Japan has both attacked America, and been attacked by him. Wars are always something we struggle to cope with. Our bosses demand we fight, no matter if we are friends or enemies with the nation we are attacking. Sweden was not allowed to come to me during my battle with Russia, his boss told him no and he had to obey. Petty differences, arguments between us, they mean little when it comes to something like this. As much as some of us don't get along, we can't help but come together in reaction to these events."

"Like when Turkey and Greece helped each other after their earthquakes?" Sealand muttered, he was only vaguely aware of that one. Not present for the events themselves, only the aftermath. World Conferences didn't often align with these country shattering events.

Finland nodded, "Exactly like that," A sorrowful gaze landed on the worried faces of France and Britain, as America was still shuddering, he was muttering something the sounded suspiciously like 'towers' and the nations all knew about the terrorist attacks that brought down the World Trade Centers, many of them had felt repercussions of the blasts themselves with their citizens inside. Alfred had taken the brunt of the force though, and this new bombing was bringing those memories back.

Just as his helplessness was triggering a visceral response within Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

Sealand followed the gaze to Britain, "Is this why Britain didn't want to give his Colonies Independence? If they were governed by his empire he would feel the bulk of their pain, not them?"

He wasn't answered by Finland, his response came from Denmark, the conqueror out of the Nordics. "Yes, Britain was once the largest Empire. There are more reasons then just pure power to hold onto colonies, one of them is to protect the colony. He has brought up many nations, but I think he was closest with America, the one stolen from us always had a bit more of France in him."

Sealand was confused. "Who?"

"We called him Vinland, he goes by Cana…something now, I can't quite remember, It's been awhile."

"Canada, his name is Canada." Iceland filled in. It wasn't like he had much else to do, and Norway had told him a story once about the stolen colony, and Greenland wasn't far from his place.

"Not all the Empires were jerks, most of them are, or were, pretty decent guys." Denmark finished off as if Iceland hadn't interrupted.

"I wouldn't say that to the countries that lost against them," Sealand muttered, feeling Finland tense at the words.

"Haven't you been listening pipsqueak?" Denmark asked incredulously. "We don't have much choice when it comes to where we go and who we conquer, our bosses decide that. Do you think Germany or the other axis nations honestly liked what was happening in their countries during World War II? They hated it, their own people were killing each other, it was tearing them apart from the inside out, do you have any idea how bad that would hurt kid? So they banded together in their suffering, defended each other against the Allies, it was all they knew to do with the orders they had from their bosses. I can only imagine the shock Italy must have went through when his boss signed that last treaty switching his allegiance. He was once strong enough to take on and win against the Ottoman Empire, and he wasn't allowed to stay by his friends, even if all he was doing was cowering at their feet. That is what it means to be a nation boy."

Sealand took another look at the half-delirious America, before turning his face into Finland's shirt and starting to sob.

The glare Denmark received from Finland reminded the kingdom that he had just made the ward of a country who made a weapon strong enough to melt Russian tanks burst into tears.

He only had one defense, "Hey, don't look at me like that, you and I both know he needed to hear it. I only told the kid the truth."

A large hand clamped down on Denmark's shoulder and he turned to slowly see his fears confirmed when he looked into hard blue eyes, "You made him cry."

"I didn't mean to! I was just telling it like it is!" He attempted to defend himself as Sweden's hand tightened, and he cast his eyes around for anyone who might help him, but as he predicted everyone was rightly too concerned for the injured America to notice the damage brought on by his own actions.

Well, all except for one, "Stupid Dane, of course he would cry, he's just a kid, he didn't need to know all that yet. You should have waited for Sweden or Finland to tell him, they are his Guardians." Norway was no help at all, just drawing the noose tighter.

Denmark thought he was done for after that, until someone finally spoke up in his defense, and it was Sealand himself. He pulled himself away from Finalnd's shirt rubbing the tears away from his eyes. "It's okay. I'm a country! I need to know this stuff if my people ever get into trouble. Thank you Mr. Denmark for telling me. I wasn't crying cause I was scared, it was cause I was sad for everyone! All those big countries have been through so much, and all along they keep telling me not to become a country, and maybe they are just picking on me, but now I think they might just be trying to protect me. I don't care though. If you guys could handle it, so can I!"

That might have came off a little better if there wasn't dried tear tracks running down his face, and little hiccups in his voice, but the five Nordics were still struck by the heart in it.

The little heart to heart was broken by Britain's exasperated voice, "America you git, you shouldn't be getting up yet!"

"Oh Britain, I'm fine, I'm the hero, when's the first flight to Boston?" America's voice had the same cheerfully confident tone as always but as he started to walk out of the meeting hall trailing his family and the two healers that had managed to patch him up, they could see the limp in his step and there was a hitch in his breath with a few of the words.

Yet he pushed on, and behind him, for the first time Sealand saw a look on Britain's face he had always thought was envy in new light. No, the former Empire did not envy America's strength, he regretted it. That strength drew trouble to the colony he had raised from a child like America had a target painted on his back, and the superpower would never back down no matter how injured he was.

In that moment the first cracks appeared in the shell of Sealand's innocence, only time would tell what would come of it.


End file.
